IEP Chandigarh
During its ongoing drive against corruption, Anti Corruption Bureau, Haryana has arrested 21 government officers/officials while accepting bribe ranging from Rs 3000 to Rs 1.40 lakh during the month of September 2023. The Bureau has also nabbed 3 private individuals taking the number of arrests to 24.
In the same period, the Bureau initiated investigations into five cases involving seven gazetted officers, nine non-gazetted employees, and ten private individuals.
IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 29, 2022
Punjab Vigilance Bureau has unearthed a Rs seven crore scam in the Karnana multipurpose agricultural service society limited village Karnana, District SBS Nagar and registered a case against 7 officers/employees at VB police station at Jalandhar. In this case the Bureau has arrested 5 accused of the case.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said that during the investigation into the accounts of the society, it has came to light that a scam to the tune of Rs 7,14,07,596.23 (Seven crores, fourteen lakhs seven thousand five hundred and ninety six rupees and three paise) has been committed in connivance with officers/employees of the said cooperative society.
He said that there are about 1000 account holders/members in the said society. This society has been running an Indian Oil petrol pump, tractor and agricultural implements to plough a large amount of agricultural land. Apart from this, the said society also sells fertilizers and pesticides to the farmers and a total of 6 employees are working in different places in the said society.
He said after investigating the matter, it came to light that NRIs of village Karnana and the people of this village got the FDRs worth crores of rupees in the name of above society. Secretary of the said Sabha Inderjit Dhir, who has also been the cashier earlier, embezzled crores of rupees by setting limits etc. on the said FDRs in collusion with the president Randhir Singh and the present cashier Harpreet Singh.
The spokesperson said that during the checking of the records by the technical team from 01.4.18 to 31.03.20, the loans taken by the members of the sabha and deposits of the members amounted to Rs. 7,14,07,596.23 were found to be embezzled
Giving the details of this scam, he informed that during the investigation, it was also found that two computers were installed in the society by the secretary Inderjit Dhir, out of which one system was to show the records to the members so as to satisfy them about the entries of their deposits. On the second computer, it was found that the secretary used to feed the data according to the amount of fraud committed to get verification of from the audit team and other officials.
On the basis of investigation of this scam, it has been established that former secretary of the society Inderjit Dhir, Harpreet cashier, Randhir Singh former president, Sukhwinder Singh vice president, Ravinder Singh committee member, Mahinder Lal committee member and Kamaljit Singh committee member (all residents of village Karnana) have in connivance with each other committed a fraud to the tune of Rs 7,14,07,596.23 in the above said society.
The spokesperson said that in this regard, a case no 15 dated 29.08.2022 against the above-mentioned accused under sections 406, 409, 420, 465, 468, 471, 477-A, 120-B of I.P.C. and u/s 13(1), 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, has been registered at Vigilance Bureau, Police Station Jalandhar.
The accused in this case, Randhir Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Ravinder Singh, Mahinder Lal and Kamaljit Singh (all residents of Karnana village) have been arrested. Further investigation in this case is under progress.
IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 24, 2022
Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has arrested two government officials red-handed while accepting bribes worth Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. Both have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Sharing the information here today, the spokesperson of the Bureau said that first case is related to Hisar district wherein the SVB team has caught E/ASI Dharampal of CIA Hisar while accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 from complainant Dinesh Kumar of village Mirchpur now living at Sanjay Nagar, Balsmand Road, Hisar.
The complainant approached the Bureau alleging that E/ASI demanded bribe in lieu of not taking legal action against him in a case related to giving his licenced weapon to another person for photo purposes. He also threatened him that if the demand is not fulfilled, he will take action against him.
The SVB acted promptly on the complaint and a team in the presence of duty magistrate arrested the accused E/ASI while accepting bribe of Rs 15000.
The spokesperson further said that in another case Amarjit, Patwari of HSIIDC, Rai, Sonipat has been caught red-handed by the Vigilance Bureau while accepting bribe of Rs 20,000 from a farmer in Sonipat district.
Complainant, a resident of Garhi Bala informed that accused Patwari was demanding bribe in lieu of preparing the papers for the release of compensation of his land acquired by the government for the construction of KMP expressway in 2006. Accused Patwari told that he will get a compensation amount of Rs 18 to 22 lakhs as well as interest after the court decision. For this, he will have to pay Rs 75,000 to him. The deal settled at Rs 40,000 and the farmer gave Rs 20,000 in advance due to compulsion. After the complaint, the Vigilance team laid a trap and arrested the accused Patwari taking a bribe of Rs 20,000.
A case has been registered against the accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further investigation is underway.
IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 22, 2022
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau in its drive against corruption on Monday arrested former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the food grains transportation tenders scam and further investigation in this case is under progress.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau (VB) said that the Bureau, after verification of a complaint made by complainant Gurprit Singh, has already registered FIR No. 11 Dated 16-08-2022 u/s 420, 409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B IPC and 7, 8, 12, 13(2) Preventions of Corruption Act at VB police station Ludhiana in which contractors namely Telu Ram, Jagroop Singh and Sandeep Bhatia besides owner/partners of Gurdas Ram & Company has been booked.
Revealing more he informed that accused Telu Ram has already been arrested in this and he is on police remand. During investigation by the VB, accused Telu Ram has submitted that he met Bharat Bhushan Ashu through his PA Meenu Malhotra for getting tenders for the season 2020-21 who further told him to meet Rakesh Kumar Singla, Deputy Director Food & Civil Supplies. Singla was incharge of all Punjab being chairman of departmental chief vigilance committee for tenders and was acting on the directions of former minister.
The accused Telu Ram has informed the VB that when he met RK Singla, he has demanded Rs 30 Lakh on behalf of former minster and on different days he has given the bribes to RK Singla Rs 20 lakh, PA Menu Malhotra Rs 6 lakh and money to officers.
The spokesperson added that on the basis of revelations as well as the material evidence above mentioned persons and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu have been nominated as an accused in this case. During Investigation it has come on record that Telu Ram has purchased about 20 acres land and accused Meenu Malhotra, who is at large, has also made number of properties and record is being collected in this regard. He informed that the record with regard to posting of accused Rakesh Kumar Singla is also being collected besides properties made by him would be probed.
Revealing modus operandi of this scam, the spokesperson informed that the tenders were invited cluster wise in which ‘A’ group of mandis and work of all procurement agencies was allotted for the cluster and name of leading mandis in particular area was used as cluster name. In Ludhiana district, Telu Ram was having 4 clusters namely Jodhan, Mullanpur, Raikot and Payal which contains 34 grain markets. Apart from this, Telu Ram was also having cluster in district Ferozpur at Talwandi Bhai and district Ropar local.
During investigations it has come to light that main accused Telu Ram had received approximately amount of Rs 25 crore for the said work. In order to get tenders the lists of vehicles submitted by accused were containing registration numbers of Cars, Scooters, Motor Cycles etc but the same transportation vehicles were required to be verified. After verification technical bid was required to be rejected by district tender committee however they in connivance with each other allotted the tenders.
He added that even in the gate passes numbers of Scooters, Cars etc were mentioned but the above mentioned officers made payments to the accused contractors in respect of material quoted in these gate passes thereby matter regarding misappropriation also comes to light. He informed that further investigation in this regard is under progress and involvement of others would also be probed in this scam.
IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 17, 2022
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday nabbed Amrik Singh posted as Kanugo in the office of Director Abadkari (Resettlement) at Punjab Mandi Board complex Mohali red handed while accepting bribe of Rs 3,000.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau (VB) said the accused Kanugo has been arrested on the complaint of Kuldeep Singh of village Bhukhri Kalan, Ludhiana district.
He informed that the complainant has informed the VB that he had applied NOC for selling his booth at New Grain Market Ludhiana but the above mentioned Kanugo was demanding bribe of Rs 8,000 from him. The complainant added that the accused Amrik Singh has already taken Rs 5000 from him and demanding Rs 3,000 as second instalment to issue NOC to him.
The spokesperson further informed that after verification of the facts in the complaint and the material evidence, a VB team laid a trap and the accused was arrested while accepting bribe Rs 3,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
In this regard a case under FIR No.13 dtd 17.08.2022 u/s 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at P.S VB F.S-1, SAS Nagar. Further investigation in this case is under progress.
IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 8, 2022
Keeping in view the zero tolerance policy against corruption adopted by the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led state government, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau during its ongoing campaign on Monday nabbed Bhalwan Singh, working as data entry operator at RTA office Bathinda, red handed accepting bribe of Rs. 7500.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) said the accused Bhalwan Singh has been arrested on the complaint of Raghbir Singh from Mansa, owner of private mini buses.
Giving details he informed that the complainant has lodged a complaint in the VB and alleged that the above mentioned data entry operator was demanding bribe for issuing a copy of bus permit for his passenger bus.
The spokesperson added that after verification of the facts made in the complaint, a VB team caught accused Bhalwan Singh red handed while accepting bribe of Rs. 7500 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
In this regard a case FIR No. 6 dated 08.08.2022 u/s 7, Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at VB police station Bathinda and further investigation is under progress.
IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 22, 2022
Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has arrested a Lineman-cum-Clerk of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) posted in Murthal, district Sonipat after he had accepted a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a person in lieu of correction in the electricity bill of a residential society.
While sharing the details, the spokesperson of the Bureau informed that the arrested accused employee has been identified as Sumer Singh.
The complainant, a General Secretary of Omaxe Heights in Sonipat approached the UHBVN office in Sonipat with the grievance that the electricity bill of their society is not generated as per the rules, rather it is on higher sides. On this, accused told that society has made a payment of about Rs 70 lakh more towards the electricity bill. To make the correction in the bill, the accused demanded a bribe of Rs 20 lakh. On request, the deal was settled for Rs 18 lakh, out of which Rs 2 lakh was to be given in advance.
The complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau and lodged a complaint against the accused employee following which a team conducted a raid in the presence of the duty magistrate and nabbed the accused official red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered against the accused in Bureau’s police station, Rohtak. A further investigation is underway.
IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 17, 2022
Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has caught an Exemptee Sub Inspector and a private person on the charges of demanding Rs 10,000 and accepting Rs 7000 bribe.
Sharing the information here today, the Bureau spokesperson informed that arrested accused have been identified as ESI Satpal posted in Police Station City Mahendergarh and Santu, a private individual.
ESI Satpal demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 from complainant in lieu of joining the complainant in investigation after anticipatory bail before due date in a case which was permitted by Hon’ble High Court. He threatened to get the bail rejected if the complainant does not give a bribe.
The complainant lodged a complaint with the State Vigilance Bureau. After the verification, a trap was laid and Santu was caught red handed taking a bribe of Rs.7000 on behalf of accused ESI in the presence of Duty Magistrate, appointed by the Deputy Commissioner, Narnaul.
The above said both accused has been arrested and case under the Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered against them. Further investigation of the cases is on.
IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 14, 2022
Nearly half of the government officers and officials arrested for corruption in Haryana belong to the police and the revenue department. On average, one public servant gets arrested on corruption charges every second day of a month.
Of the 83 government officers and officials arrested for accepting bribes in 71 criminal cases in the first half of 2022, 41 are from the police (23) and revenue department (18).
As part of the ongoing rigorous drive against corruption in government departments, the State Vigilance Bureau Haryana has arrested 83 government officers and officials while accepting bribery in 71 criminal cases in the first half of 2022. The Bureau has also nabbed 8 private individuals taking the number of arrests in the State to 91.
Sharing this information today, the spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau informed that adopting a zero-tolerance policy against corruption has resulted in the arrests of 10 Gazetted Officers and 73 Non-Gazetted officials from January to June 30, 2022. On average, 15 public servants have been arrested on corruption charges every month.
Giving details of the raids, he further revealed that 23 police personnel, 18 officials of the Revenue Department, 15 of Power Utilities, 8 of Urban Local Bodies, 3 each of Excise and Taxation and Social Justice and Empowerment, 2 each of Transport, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Mining Departments were nabbed red-handed while taking bribes ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 5 lakh in separate cases.
Highlighting the arrests of high-ranking officers, the spokesperson informed that two Chief Engineers of the Urban Local Bodies department have been arrested for siphoning off public funds and an HCS officer was arrested during the investigation of a trap case. A District Town Planner was caught red-handed taking Rs. 5,00,000/- bribe and co-accused Tehsildar was also arrested. A Superintending Engineer of a Municipal Corporation was caught accepting Rs. 50,000/- while a Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner was caught red-handed taking Rs. 50,000/- bribe, a District Horticulture Officer was nabbed taking Rs. 30,000/- bribe, an Executive Engineer of HSVP (Horticulture) was arrested taking Rs. 30,000/- and an Executive Engineer of Municipal Committee was arrested, Two Sub Divisional Officer were caught red-handed taking Rs. 28,000/-, a District Attorney was caught red-handed taking Rs. 2,500/-, a Naib Tehsildar was nabbed taking Rs. 14,000/-, a Building Inspector was arrested taking Rs. 5,00,000/-, an Assistant Sub Inspector was nabbed red-handed taking Rs. 4,00,000/-, a Taxation Inspector was nabbed red-handed taking Rs. 2,00,000/- and a Police Inspector of Gujarat police was nabbed taking Rs. 2,00,000/- at Gurugram. Besides this, six Junior Engineers, ten Patwari, one Taxation Inspector, one Police Inspector, eight Sub Inspectors and seven Assistant Sub Inspectors were also caught red-handed taking bribes, during this period.
The State Vigilance Bureau is committed to intensifying the drive against corruption and all cases of bribery have been dealt with strictly and more crackdowns will follow in the coming days, informed the spokesperson. The Bureau has also urged the people to fight against corruption and report complaints of bribery on its Toll-Free Helpline No. 1800-180-2022 and 1064.
IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 14, 2022
Aiming to curb the menace of corruption in the state, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Thursday arrested Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) Junior Assistant and Executive Officer red handed while accepting bribe of Rs. 10,000.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau said the above mentioned accused Harmit Singh was arrested on the complaint of Satnam Singh of Ludhiana.
He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that accused Harmit Singh, Junior Assistant, LIT was demanding Rs 20,000 for processing and finalising his case under ‘one time settlement’ (OTS) scheme for default payment of booth alloted to him by the LIT in Rajguru Nagar Ludhiana. He told the VB that Harmit Singh has assured him that he would manage everyone upto Executive Officer (EO), LIT and would get his job done.
After verification of his information three teams of Vigilance Bureau EOW, Punjab, Ludhiana were constituted and arrested the accused Harmit Singh, Junior Assistant red handed along with bribe money Rs. 10,000. The spokesperson further added that Ms. Kuljit Kaur, EO, LIT was also present with accused Junior Assistant while taking bribe, so she was also arrested along with Harmit Singh. In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered at VB police station Ludhiana and further investigation is under progress.
